The Houthi rebels in Yemen made a statement on Tuesday night declaring that they will target any ship that disregards the group’s prohibition on Israeli vessels passing through the Red and Arabian Seas, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. This ban will be enforced immediately and will remain in place “until the crossings to the Gaza Strip are reopened and aid, food, and medicine are allowed in,” according to Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesperson.
Earlier that evening, Al-Arabiya reported that the United States carried out airstrikes on Houthi radar installations and weapon storage sites in the Yemeni port of Al-Hudaydah. In response to concerns about potential drone and ballistic missile launches from Yemen, Israel’s Air Force raised its alert level and reinforced its air defense systems, including deploying fighter jets to protect the country’s skies, as reported by Kan 11 News. Despite this heightened state of alert, the Home Front Command’s guidelines for the public have not changed.
The Houthi statement followed a warning from the group’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, who indicated that the rebels might resume their attacks on Israel after the suspension of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. “We are committed to our position regarding the ultimatum we set for Israel regarding the resumption of aid to the Gaza Strip. Our forces are ready to carry out operations. Military measures will be carried out from the moment the deadline expires – if aid does not enter the Gaza Strip,” he said.
Since October 2023, the Houthi rebels have increased their military activities in the region, launching drones and ballistic missiles at Israeli cities and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea in support of Gaza. However, they ceased their attacks on Israel after the ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas. Following the end of the first phase of that deal, al-Houthi warned that the rebels would restart their operations against Israel if hostilities in Gaza resumed. “We are constantly monitoring the situation in Gaza and see that the Israeli enemy is evading full commitment to the agreement [with Hamas]. The enemy’s evasion of withdrawing from Rafah is a serious violation of the agreement. This is a threat to the Palestinian people and to the Egyptian people, government, and army. We were ready for military intervention when Trump threatened to bring back the war in Gaza if Hamas did not release the hostages,” he said.
In response to the growing number of Houthi attacks, the Biden administration formed a coalition of over 20 countries to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi threats. The coalition has carried out multiple strikes on Houthi positions and weapons systems in Yemen. Despite these actions, the Houthis have remained resolute and pledged to continue their offensive.
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